273 E. Erie St.
Milwaukee, WI

Founded in 1974, the Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design (MIAD) is a private, non-profit college offering four-year Bachelor of fine arts degrees with 11 majors and 15 minor programs. Majors are offered in Communication Design, Drawing, Illustration, Industrial Design, Integrated Fine Arts Studio, Interior Architecture & Design, Painting, photography, Printmaking, Sculpture and Time-Based Media. MIAD is accredited by the National Association of Schools of Art & Design (NASAD) and by the Commission on Institutions of Higher Education of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools. The school also offers minors in all eleven majors plus Advertising, Art History, business, Studio, and Writing as well as programs for high school students and continuing education programs.

There are three curriculum areas at MIAD that come together to create a unified education; Foundations, Liberal Studies and studio majors. The first year students take Foundations while Liberal Studies courses are taken throughout all four years, and major-specific studio courses are taken after freshmen year. Students can complete double majors and combine majors and minors upon graduation.

There are more than 100 faculty at MIAS, all of who are artists, designers, and scholars. Classes are small with a student faculty ratio of 15:1. Tuition is less than $25,000 per academic year plus room & board. On campus housing is offered and degree-seeking students, who are under 21 years of age and who live outside of the 45-mile Milwaukee area radius are required to live in the Residence Hall for their Foundations year. Financial aid is offered through state, federal, or institutional assistance programs and 90% of MIAD students receive some sort of assistance. Scholarships are offered as well.

The campus occupies four historic buildings in Milwaukee's Third Ward; the main academic building, Jane Bradley Pettit Building, a Residence Hall, the Student Union, and Strange Brew Café and Gallery, an extension of the Student Union. The campus has fully equipped computer, photo, and 3-D labs as well as Fine Art and Design Studios, art galleries, libraries, and a dining center. The school is affiliated with Marquette University so that MIAD students has access to a greater number of classes and facilities. MIAD offers special study opportunities such as the US mobility program, a New York studio program, foreign exchange programs, independent study, work study, and internships.

Quick Facts

The core values of MIAD are Quality, Innovation, Diversity, Visual, verbal, written, and media literacy, Critical thinking and creative problem solving, and Passion, commitment and dedication.

At MIAD, 124 credits are required to graduate, including 81 studio credits and 43 liberal studies credits. Twelve liberal studies credits are required in English & Writing and Art History and nineteen are required in humanities & Sciences.

There are close to 700 full and part-time degree students enrolled at MIAD as well as 600 students in the pre-college program, 1500 continuing education students, and 250 students enrolled in outreach and special programs.

The four building campus is located in Milwaukee's Historic Third Ward which is the city's official arts district. The Student Union is one of the oldest structures in the district.

This school profile has been compiled and updated by The CollegeBound Network. The school is not affiliated with The CollegeBound Network and shall not be considered a sponsor of this program.